An Exclusive Club
by Jayneysuk
Summary: A special day for Isobel and Richard is made even more special. There were a couple of lines in episodes one and two of season three that sparked off this train of thought. A couple of minor spoilers but nothing major.


I'm not sure if this works or even if I like how it ends but after a week of tweaking it feels done. Hope you enjoy.

**An Exclusive Club**

The last warmth of Summer lingered in the air, the sun dancing its way around the clouds, while a gentle breeze ruffled the leaves on the trees, a forewarning that Winter was coming. It was what passed as a typical Autumnal day in Yorkshire. Later it could rain or snow, or more likely the bright Sunny afternoon would morph into a clear frosty night. Once Winter arrived there would be snow and freezing fog and a cold that seemed to seep through even the warmest of clothing.

Richard barely noticed the weather; it mattered little on this one particular day what would, he hoped, be the most wonderful day of his life. His thoughts were centred on the woman beside him as he quietly led her through the streets of Ripon, his heart swelling with pride and love, a contented smile on his face as he stole tender glances in her direction.

When he had arrived at Crawley House she had still been getting ready and he had paced her sitting room, amusement turning to frustration and annoyance as he waited. They were never on time for anything, either because she took an age to dress or he was delayed at the hospital, but this had been the one day he had wanted them to be early. He had been about to go in search of her when she appeared in the doorway. For a second he lost the ability to breath, so captivated as he was by the sight of her, and then it struck him that it was all for him. That simple conclusion had made him love her all the more.

Isobel smoothed down the skirt of her pale blue dress, conscious of his constant appraisal. He had always liked her in blue and she had chosen it with him in mind, the slightly dipping neckline drawing his eyes to the locket around her neck, his first gift to her, the intricate buttons down the back something for him to toy with later. The navy blue hat was the only concession she made to tradition, the hatpins the only things holding her curls in place; a gentle tug later and he could run his fingers freely through her hair. At the house he had stared at her speechless and she knew then that she had chosen wisely. Now, as they walked through Ripon arm in arm she wondered if maybe she should have worn a jacket, maybe she was trying to hard to show him the youthful, carefree Isobel that she wanted to be for him. It was a foolish notion because they were the same age, intent now on spending the rest of their days together, but one that had seemed so important on her wedding day.

She stole a glance in his direction, smiling bemused as she found his eyes fixed on her. "Richard?"

"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?" He bit his lip. "Not that you aren't beautiful to me every day." His smile widened. "You can't know how happy you have made me. Have I told you how much I love you, that I feel complete now that we are destined to spend our days together?" he asked tenderly, not caring how foolish he might sound.

"It is I that should be happy. And I am. I'm truly glad that we chose not to wait, that we are doing this today," she sighed happily. "That tonight I will be in your cottage, in your bed, as your wife."

Richard squeezed her hand resting on his arm, as he continued to gaze at her, adoration clearly evident in his eyes. "Not just tonight, my darling girl, but every night, for the rest of our lives." There would be no more sneaking around, no more circumventing Mr Moseley's protective and disapproving watch. They would be able to be together whenever and wherever they wanted. He was, he had to admit, rather looking forward to stretching out on the rug in front of the fire with his arms around her, reading the classics and drinking sloe gin as much as he was looking forward to making love to her.

"And Matthew can move back into Crawley house with Mary. They can make a start on their life together away from the constant scrutiny of the family." Matthew lamented frequently that he wanted to live a simpler life, it was wish that mother and son shared although it was going to be much easier to fulfil for her. She had no estate and no title to consider and for that she was grateful. "Who knows, maybe they will get to work on those grandchildren they keep promising," she mused. "Thankfully those days are behind us." It wasn't that she wouldn't have liked a child with Richard, it was just that at their age it wasn't a consideration. Selfishly she was going to enjoy having him all to herself. Of course there would be snide comments to begin with about her running off with the doctor, about how long they had been sneaking around, maybe even some speculation about him wanting her money. But she hoped Matthew was wrong and that people lived far too exciting a life of their own to be concerned by the manner in which she lived her life for too long. In any case she had long since ceased to care what other people thought.

"I think Granny Isobel has a nice ring to it," he agreed. "All the fun without the sleepless nights."

They rounded a corner and the registry office loomed before them. Isobel took a deep breath, as the reality of the situation set in, a myriad of emotions flickering across her features, her footsteps faltering momentarily.

"Are you ready?" Richard asked, giving her hand another gentle squeeze, his brow furrowing as she came to a standstill. "We can still go home, wait until the Spring and have the big church wedding in Downton." His heart beat a little faster in his chest as he waited for her answer, knowing that he would accept whatever she wanted but desperate to hear her say they should go ahead and get married.

Isobel shook her head. "I don't want to postpone any longer. We've waited so long and you have been so patient," she acknowledged, the expression on her face one of sincerity. "I am more than ready to do this. And in all honesty I'm not sure I can handle the prospect of trying to coordinate the family. I'm not even sure I want them there. This is, and has always been, about you and me."

Richard removed her hand from his arm, entwining their fingers at their sides. "And Matthew?" He caught the momentary look of sadness cross her features, watched as she tried to cover it and finally looked back at him with a small sad smile.

"I wish he could have been here, to see how much this means to me, but then he would have told Mary and she would have told cousin Violet and it would all have got out of hand," she lamented. "It's alright, really," she offered half-heartedly.

He pushed open the door to the registry office and allowed her to cross the threshold in front of him, a grin forming on his lips as he acknowledged the two people in the reception hall. Keeping secrets from Isobel had never been easy, but this time he hoped she would forgive him.

"Matthew! Mary!" She exclaimed happily as her son stepped forward to embrace her.

"Hello, Mother."

Isobel stepped back and studied her son suspiciously. "What, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn't really think that I would let you get married . . ."

"I'm a grown woman, Matthew," she declared defensively, cutting him off before he could hurt her any further. "And I love him." She blinked back tears that threatened to spill, as she edged her body closer to her soon to be husband. "If you think you can come here and I'll just walk away, then you're mistaken." Isobel shook her head sadly, suddenly overwhelmed by the spectrum of emotions she had been feeling all day.

"Woah," Matthew exclaimed, raising his hand in surrender, taken aback by the strength of his mothers conviction. "I know." He reached for her hand, relieved when she allowed him to take it. "And if you would perhaps, for once, allow me to finish, I was going to say that you didn't really think I would allow you to get married without my being here." He arched an eyebrow. "You don't think I was going to miss this, do you?"

"Oh?" A half smile tugged at her lips, accompanied by a nervous giggle, as realisation dawned. "You are really alright with this? With Richard and I? With the wedding? I meant to tell you, I really did, but one thing or another just seemed to get in the way."

He rolled his eyes dramatically, reminding Richard momentarily of his mother. "Why wouldn't I be? Father has been dead for nearly fifteen years. You have more than paid your dues to his memory. And you have a man who is devoted to you, has been for quite a while." He allowed himself a small grin as he remembered the somewhat awkward conversation he had shared with the doctor. "He even asked my permission. How could I refuse when you've been so contented the last few months."

"You did this?" She asked slightly giddily, turning to the man she loved.

Richard took her free hand in his. "I did. Think of it as my wedding present to you. I love you and the only person I care about being here today is you, but I knew, whatever you said, you would like Matthew to be here. So I thought maybe for once we should do something a little traditionally."

"Thank you." She wanted to throw her arms around his neck and shower him with kisses but the presence of her son stopped her. "This means the world."

"And we wouldn't miss it for the world," Mary offered genuinely. She also wasn't stupid. Any girl who didn't try to be nice to her mother in law was a fool, Lavinia had told her that and it had stayed with her. So far the advice had worked in her favour. There was also the fact that if Isobel was consumed with her new husband she would have less time to interfere in Matthew's marriage. It was a win all round.

"So will you allow me to give you away?" Matthew asked, his words finally drawing his mothers gaze back in his direction, if only briefly.

"Desperate to get rid of me all of a sudden?" She teased, feeling a new wave of happiness flow through her.

Matthew shook his head. "Not at all. Well maybe a little." He gave her a wide boyish smile as he released her hand and turned to Richard. Shaking his hand firmly, he stated in a tone that was friendly and warm, "As I've already told you, you have my blessing, not that you need it. I hope you will be as happy together as Mary and I are. That being said I want you to know that we are in this together." Matthew gave a nervous laugh. "In a few minutes you will join a very exclusive club, my friend; Men crazy, and brave, enough to take on Crawley women. She may have not been born one but she is just as pragmatic and determined, not to mention jolly pig headed," he added with a laugh. "Nothing will be easy and god knows the will be days when you ask yourself why, but you will always know that you wouldn't want it any other way."

He missed the look that crossed his wife's face, if he had caught it he would have had a foreshadowing of what lay ahead for him and maybe stopped himself.

Isobel rolled her eyes, touched as she was by her sons words, at her sons choice of phrase. She was pleased that he was offering Richard his friendship but she couldn't quite believe that he was taking the opportunity to remind her husband-to-be of certain traits she was hoping he hadn't become aware of. Of course after nine years Richard probably knew more about her than anyone.

"That being said, I need you to promise to take care of her, and make her happy." It seemed the appropriate thing to say, to ensure his mother's future, not that he needed to, he was sure. The doctor had been his mother first real friend since she moved to the village and it didn't take a mind reader to see that they were crazy in love.

"He does, so very much," Isobel sighed wistfully.

"I don't think he meant THAT," Richard whispered in her ear bringing forth a red flush to her cheeks and a giggle.

"Really? Is this how you are to behave?" Matthew asked in mild dismay, shaking his head from side to side as a thousand images raced through his mind.

Mary ran what was meant to be a calming hand down his back but what brought a flush to his own cheeks.

"What can I say, he brings out the worst in me," Isobel offered with a shrug, not in the least bit apologetic.

"And she brings out the best in me," Richard added, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "And while we intend to live a much simpler life than she is used to, I think we will be very happy."

Mary hovered in the background, watching the scene play out before her, slightly embarrassed by the ease with which the three of them teased and talked with each other. She had become accustomed to the relationship Matthew and his mother had, chalking it up to the fact that they had been alone for so many years, but the doctor seemed to fit in effortlessly. She had never had that sort of relationship with anyone, had found herself having to try with everyone. As much as she hated to admit she wanted to belong to this small exclusive group.

"So what do you think, Mary? Should I marry this old rogue?" Isobel asked, turning to her daughter in law and offering a reassuring smile, trying as ever to make her feel at home.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation. "If the war has taught me anything it's that you shouldn't waste time and you shouldn't hesitate because you never know what tomorrow might bring."

"I wouldn't say we wasted the war years," Isobel mused.

"Mother!"

Mary flushed a deep crimson hue, realising exactly what her mother in law was implying. As her complexion returned to its normal alabaster hue she allowed herself a moment to contemplate her husband, acknowledging that he was very much his mothers son, half hoping that he would prove to have his mothers stamina. Something told her that if he did they too would have a long and happy marriage. "Shall we go in?" Mary asked, embarrassed mildly about where her thoughts had taken her.

"Isobel?" Richard asked, allowing her one last opportunity to change her mind, certain she was as set in her mind as he was.

"Ready mother?" Matthew asked as he offered her his arm.

She nodded, giving Richard a smile before taking her sons arm and allowing him to lead her through the doors. When they reached the front of the room, he gently handed her over to the doctor, brushing the lightest of kisses on her cheek.

As they stood at the front of the room Richard gently took her hand in his, entwining his fingers with hers, publicly declaring that she was his, he was hers.

In the front row of seats a young man took his wife's hand, squeezing it lightly, claiming her as his own.

Less than an hour later they were gathered outside, a copy of the marriage certificate safely stowed in Richards pocket, his hand firmly clasped with hers.

"Would you like us to take you somewhere nice for dinner?" Matthew asked as they stood by his car. "Our treat."

Isobel glanced at Richard, unsure of what to say. They hadn't really discussed how they were going to spend the rest of their wedding day although from the way his eyes had been firmly fixed on hers and the predatory glint she saw in them she suspected his plans had more to do with them being alone.

Richard shook his head. "It's very kind of you to offer but I would very much like to take this wonderful woman home."

"Can we at the very least offer you a lift?" Mary asked, preparing herself to have to make small talk as Matthew sped round the winding roads.

It was Isobel's turn to offer a polite refusal. "We are going to walk for a while, enjoy the afternoon, maybe find a tea shop."

Matthew opened the car door and waited for his wife to climb in, closing the door behind her. "Well if you're sure. But please don't be a stranger mother, you are both welcome for dinner any evening." Not that he thought he would see them for a few days at least. Lightly he kissed his mothers cheek and shook his step fathers hand. "Again congratulations."

Isobel waved as the car drove away, finally turning back to look at her husband. Her husband, she mused, that was something which she never thought she would tire of saying.

"A walk?" Richard asked, surprised as the car finally disappeared from view. His plans for the afternoon had nothing to do with walks.

"I was being polite," she grinned, thoroughly enjoying the idea of just being married. "We can take the bus and be home in half an hour."

"You didn't want a nice comfortable car ride?" The look he gave her suggested he thought she was slightly mad.

Isobel grabbed his arm and began to tug him down the street. "Come on, or we will miss the next bus. I would have had to invite Matthew and Mary in for tea and then politeness would have won out and we would have ended up sharing a meal. This way we can skip all the niceties." And you can take me to bed, she added in her head.

"You are frighteningly devious."

"Thank you."

"Should I be worried?" he asked, feigning concern.

"I would encourage you to go with it, embrace it even, and enjoy all the benefits you may recoup."

Richard came to a sudden halt as the bus stop came into view. "Isobel?"

She stopped too, gazing up at him, adoration clearly evident in her eyes.

Silently, he leaned down, cupping her face in his hands before bringing his face down to press his lips firmly against hers. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said as he kissed her again, oblivious to the people milling around them or the impropriety of their behaviour.

"Shall we go home, Mrs Clarkson?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Dr Clarkson."

The end


End file.
